


the sweetest touch

by zimbits (PuppyWillGraham)



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of Anxiety, demiro/sexual jack, holsom (mentioned/bg), shitty + jack (mentioned), zimbits (main focus)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 22:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7332466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuppyWillGraham/pseuds/zimbits
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Like with everything else, it starts subtly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the sweetest touch

**Author's Note:**

> ha... so yeah. idk how me thinking about touch-starved jack zimmermann developed into this, but here we go. i hope y'all enjoy!! ♡

Like with everything else, it starts subtly. Light touches here and there, helping to settle a rampant heartbeat whenever things were too stressful or too much to cope with. The physicality is what settles fried nerves -- nothing too much, but just enough.

And Jack Zimmermann loves it.

It didn't start with Bittle, but instead with Shitty. Back as freshmen; whenever the latter was drunk, or high, and even when he'd been sober, he'd been able to just know when Jack needed the light touch with the grips of anxiety making his body tremble at varying degrees of severity and his throat closing up on meaningless words. It wasn't a cure, no, he would have to live with his anxiety disorder for the rest of his life with medication that helped, but this was something that also helped.

Some people with anxiety don't like to be touched -- take Justin, for one example, with Adam ready to rip anyone's head off if they dared to disturb that " _precious coral reef_ " (Adam's own words, of course) of a human being -- but others with anxiety don't mind the calming touches that can help to ground and aid in focusing when it's needed the most. Jack is one of the latter, but only with those he trusts explicitly. Those who seem to just know the right level of touch to use when he needs it most.

Eric soon becomes someone Jack trusts to a certain degree, which only increases the more time they spend together, and Jack knew it was coming -- when did it ever not? -- so it's no surprise when his chest feels tight as they're sat on the couch together in Jack's apartment in Providence. He's unsure what the trigger is, exactly, but he tries not to think too hard about it -- sometimes there wasn't a trigger and you just became anxious for no reason.

"What's wrong?" It's as if Bittle is finely attuned to Jack's moods and facial expressions. Maybe he is, after spending almost three years working closely with him on the ice. It wouldn't be surprising at all.

"It's just." Jack starts, motioning to his chest, fingers grasping at the front of his shirt as he attempts to _inhale, hold for a few seconds, exhale,_ just like both his doctor and therapist had suggested to him as one method to use when breathing starts to become a bit difficult.

Eric stares at him, teeth grazing over his lower lip as he seems to ruminate over what he should do next, before he turns to face his boyfriend and raises a hand -- slowly, so as not to startle Jack -- to stroke fingers soothingly up and down his arm. The touch is nice, and Jack stares openly at Bittle, inclining his head with a shuddery breath rattling in the cage of his ribs and chest. The touch moves from his arm up to his shoulder, squeezing comfortingly, before roaming across his back.

It grounds Jack, and he soon finds his head resting on Bittle's lap.

"I'm sorry." Jack says when he can breathe again, trying not to tear up in the aftermath. It was just a little hitch, that's all, he tries to tell himself, but that's another thing about his anxiety -- a vicious cycle.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, honey." Eric strokes Jack's hair in what he hopes is a soothing move, enough to settle the crashing waves of emotion that sometimes threaten to wash over the professional hockey player. "I promise."

"How did you know what to do?" It's the first time Bittle has touched Jack like this, to calm him down, and focusing on the heartbeat next to his ear aims as a distraction from any anxious thoughts.

"I've seen Shitty do it before, so I assumed..." Eric trails off and stares down at the man with his head resting on his lap. There's a hopeful look in those big brown eyes. "Did it help at all?"

"You're still helping now. This," Jack inhales and exhales again, a small and grateful smile on his lips as he realizes how true it is. How easy he's breathing now. "You help. Thank you."

"You're welcome, honey. It's not a problem." Bittle stills his fingers and they can't help but to stare at each other, a flush on both their cheeks. The proximity between them is undeniably intimate.

"I, uh. Like it." Jack clears his throat, blue eyes softening when Eric stays silent but looks curious. Jack finds it endearing and cute. "When you stroke my hair. Or, just. When you touch me in general."

"Oh, Mr. Zimmermann." There's an amused glint in Bittle's eyes, but he doesn't crack any jokes or innuendos.

"I can't explain why I love it, I just do." Jack looks a bit embarrassed at having admitted it. "I enjoy the affection from you. I feel like I miss out on it, because.."

"Because...you don't get it often?" Eric doesn't sound judgemental, which helps settle the flutter of nerves blooming in Jack's chest.

"People often mistake wanting physical contact with romantic interest, and I. Don't experience it like others do." Jack mumbles, almost shyly. Bittle almost has to strain to hear. "Shitty's probably said to you before, that I'm picky. But it's not that, _really_ , I just."

Bittle feels the shrug more than sees it, and he thinks he almost understands what Jack is insinuating. But he doesn't want to almost understand something that he might actually be mistaken about and not understand it at all. That would be nightmarish, disastrous. "You don't have to tell me, if you're not comfortable with doing so."

Jack opens his mouth to cut Bittle off, but he's already continuing.

"But, if you do want to tell me, whatever it may be, then I'll try my best to understand."

"Oh." Jack smiles again, and Eric can feel the nod more than see it as his fingers thread through Jack's hair again, as if to soothe away any potential nerves. It helps, and Jack starts to feel more relaxed. "I was just trying to say that, when it comes to dating and even sex, I don't experience attraction right away. Sure, people are physically attractive, but I don't want to just, you know."

"Jump their bones?" Bittle gazes down at his boyfriend, starting to understand what Jack is saying a lot more now. He's pretty sure he gets it.

"Yeah. I need to be close to the person first, emotionally, before having a crush on them or wanting to date or whatever."

"I think there's a label for that. I'm sure Nursey was arguing with Dex over them." Bittle releases a light chuckle, something short, with a roll of his eyes at the amount of arguing the Frogs partake in. "Those two."

"Yeah, I looked it up. It's on the asexual spectrum. The demi side of things." Jack looks pleased with himself for the label, content to be sure in at least one thing regarding his identity and who he is. "Not that labels always matter, but it's nice to know. To have a name to what I feel."

_To not feel broken._

"That's wonderful, sweetheart." Eric finds himself smiling wider, genuinely happy for Jack by way of extension. "Even if you didn't want the label, your feelings are still valid."

"Thank you." Jack says again, a light flush still on his cheeks. "You're the first person I've been able to tell. I wanted you to know, because you're important to me, Bits."

 _Bits_. It makes Eric melt; both the nickname of his nickname and the coming out to him. He feels grateful that Jack trusts him so much to be able to do as such.

"I'm happy for you, Jack. To be sure in yourself and your sexuality." He smiles again, but still feels guilty for initially assuming that Jack was straight, taking certain rumors from Ransom and Holster at kegsters, of all things, to heart. Internalized heteronormativity is an issue he still needs to tackle, evidently.

"Hey, c'mere." Jack has brought a hand up to Bittle's cheek and is caressing it when the shorter man blinks and pulls himself out of his thoughts, guiding him lower and closer, until their lips brush in one of the sweetest kisses they've shared.

It settles his own nerves, deciding that he likes this between them. Loves it, how they can just touch and kiss whenever they have a moment to themselves with nobody else around. No words needed, when the important things of the moment have already been spilled and spoken.

**Author's Note:**

> oohp, so. as someone on the acespec, i really love this hc (canon?) for jack zimmermann. like, a lot, and it makes so much sense to me? i also had to include some stuff about his anxiety, which (as someone with anxiety myself) i'm so glad is a huge part of canon.
> 
> (like holy shit wow i Love jack zimmermann ok and i am so proud with how my boy is dealing rn at this point in comic canon. plus that canon zimbits!! when will your faves Ever be that healthy and happy??)
> 
> anyways, this was just. a thing that took like 30 minutes for me to produce? and it probably seems quite ramble-y, but some of the subject matter is real close to my heart, so. i hope it wasn't too bad.
> 
> as always, any kudos/bookmarks/comments are greatly appreciated, thank you!!


End file.
